13

Blue stayed he entire day, being a Sunday the kids were excited to not have a boring day but Ianto noticed David seemed slightly withdrawn so when he could, he took him aside.

"Hey. You OK?"

"Uncle Jack left."

'Yes. He wasn't needed." Ianto said gently "He came to make sure we were Ok and we were so …"

"I wanted to talk to him. Why can't we have some time with him now? He's my uncle too. Just because you don't love him anymore… doesn't mean I don't" David wrenched his arm away and headed for the stairs, Ianto still kneeing with a look of shock when Blue seized the child and shook him.

"Don't talk to your father like that. You apologise right bloody now!" he said into the child's face "That was uncalled for and you know it!"

"BLUE!" Ianto rushed to extract the child, shocked that he had reacted like this and David ran up the stairs to his room yelling that Ianto was not his Da as Ianto stared at Blue.

"I think maybe you should leave now."

"What?"

"I think … I think I need a moment of two with them alone to settle things down. I appreciate everything, I really do but… I think I need to unruffle my feathers as it were." Ianto tried to be warm about it, reaching out to stroke Blue's arm as he talked "Just the afternoon off. You must have things better to do."

He expected Blue to go, to take the hint. He did not expect Blue to look like he had just run over his puppy. Now he felt bad, the pain on the man's face raw as he sighed "Sure. Sick of me already are you?"

Ianto laughed, stepping closer do their bodies touched "Look. Jack is the only man I have never been with. This will take time, ya know? I do enjoy your company and there are feelings here but they are still new. Give me time to accept them and reason out what they are. OK? I don't do well with rushing."

Blue looked at Ianto long and hard then nodded "Well … OK."

Then he seized Ianto, slamming him against the wall as he kissed him savagely and then yelped, leaping back as Ianto bit his bottom lip and he stood with his hand over his mouth staring at Ianto with surprise. He raised his hand like he might strike him then lowered it as he stepped back another step.

"I said… no!" Ianto knew he was shaking now, anger overriding the fear as he stared the man down making him take yet another step back "Please leave!"

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to come on so…"

"NOW!"

Blue stormed off and Ianto slid down the wall, shaking with fear as he looked up the stars at the closed bedroom door. David had been afraid, desperate to evade the man. But not surprised.

Ianto headed up the stairs, calling softly "He's gone now."

The door cracked open and David appeared though the crack "Go away. I don't wanna talk."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Not this time" came a faint reply and the door slammed shut again, Ianto left outside on the landing with more confusion than ever. Hopefully David would talk to his Grief Councillor tomorrow …whatever the hell that had been, it was not nice.

Ianto wondered yet again if he was cut to for this.

And was Blue too much too soon?

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Ianto was painting. A commissioned piece of someone's great grandmother or something, the prim lady staring angrily at the camera as Ianto tried to recreate her on canvas in a less angry stance. The woman from his mind did seem softer, more welcoming in a way and he hoped to finish this one soon. He hated working with old photos.

He heard faint laughter and he stood, walking to the window to look out over the field. Mica was on that bloody horse again, Blue leading her around as she talked excitedly to him. Great … so much for the day off from him then. Some retreat. David was nowhere to be seen and Ianto again wondered why they were fracturing there. The councillor had shrugged whe Ianto had asked the other day about his moods and whispered that whatever was eating at him, he would not share.

Ianto sat and decided to check his messages, Jack's voice making him reach out to delete it but he froze as he heard Blue's voice in the distance. His hand was hanging in midair as he heard the exchange from the morning, Jack's pain and Blue's animosity. He let the hand drop to his knee as the recording finished.

What the hell was that shit?

Ianto rose and walked out to see the truck sitting in the back yard. He had driven here? He hadn't heard it arrive... or leave that morning when blue stormed out actually. So where did the horse come from? He must have driven here last night, walked home to fetch that horse here to graze for a few days for Mica? Ianto walked over to the truck and touched the bonnet. Cold, stone cold. Ianto came to the conclusion that Blue had left on foot the night before, leaving it behind. Retuned on foot, then left on foot ... then came back on horseback today. He had not heard it's arrival last night. Had he coasted down the driveway with the lights off? It didn't make sense.

"HEY!"

Ianto watched them approach and Mica's face was flushed as she rode the small grey.

"Look Uncle. Blue got me a horse to ride!"

"Now the hay is done, the leftover grass can be enjoyed so I brought over one of my smaller rides for Mimi to enjoy while he enjoyed the grass. We can keep him here. I offered David one too but he's in a snot this morning. You know… you really need to talk to him about manners" Blue said conversationally, and then patted Ianto's arse and led the horse back into the middle of the field with Mica on the back. Ianto tried not to bristle but he was conflicted as shit. Ianto watched them then turned back to the truck.

And the river stones on the back identical to those that came though his windows.

He was starting to get an idea that rivalled one of Jack's movie plots and he didn't like it one single fucking bit. Not one bit.

He went to find David.

He needed answers.

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"But why can't I come live with you instead" David was hissing down the phone and Ianto stopped in the doorway to listen with shock "I don't wanna be here anymore. Uncle is busy, Mica gets all the attention and Blue is a prick."

Ianto raised an eyebrow.

"No. No. I am not. Really, I did give him a chance but … he came into my room the other night and he…he…scared me. He held me down and said he was the man of the house and I had to stop being a whiney little brat. He said Myfanwy might get hurt if I didn't do what he wanted. I was scared and cried so he stopped but …I was sacred Uncle Jack. He…he…he put his hands under the covers and…"

Into felt his world tip as he clutched at the doorframe and felt bile rumbling up from his gut as his taunts to his sister came home to roost.

So …. You DID choose our Da all over again.